AG James Leads 21-State Coalition to Stop SNAP Cuts Affecting Immigrant Families

 New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a federal lawsuit to stop the Trump administration from enforcing a new policy that could strip food assistance from tens of thousands of lawful permanent residents, including many from immigrant and refugee communities.

James is leading a coalition of 21 attorneys general challenging an October 31 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) memo that dramatically restricts Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility for refugees, asylees and other immigrants who entered the country through humanitarian programs — even after they become green card holders.

“The federal government’s shameful quest to take food away from children and families continues,” James said. “USDA has no authority to arbitrarily cut entire groups of people out of the SNAP program, and no one should go hungry because of the circumstances of their arrival to this country.”

Impact on Immigrant Communities

Under long-standing federal law, refugees, asylees and other humanitarian entrants become eligible for SNAP once they receive lawful permanent residency and meet standard program rules. The new USDA guidance attempts to reverse that, declaring these groups permanently ineligible — a move advocacy groups warn would disproportionately harm immigrant communities who already face significant economic barriers.

In New York alone, up to 35,000 green card holders could lose food assistance, pushing many families into immediate hardship and increasing pressure on food pantries and community organizations.

States Warn of Impossible Compliance

The lawsuit also challenges the USDA’s claim that states had only one day — during a weekend and federal shutdown — to comply with the guidance. Federal rules guarantee a 120-day transition period, and the attorneys general say USDA is ignoring its own regulations.

If states do not immediately enforce the new restrictions, they could face massive financial penalties under the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” New York could be fined up to $1.2 billion, a cost state officials say would be catastrophic.

Coalition Seeks Immediate Court Intervention

The coalition argues the guidance unlawfully rewrites federal law, threatens nationwide instability in the SNAP program and risks wrongful termination of benefits for millions who rely on it to feed their families.

Last week, James and other attorneys general urged USDA to withdraw the memo, but the agency did not respond. The lawsuit now seeks to block the policy before it takes effect.

Attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia joined New York in the lawsuit.